NASA and Katalyst Space Technologies have made the decision to halt the mission aimed at salvaging the sinking Swift Observatory. The telescope is now slated for a fiery re-entry later this year following the announcement made on Wednesday.

Katalyst Space Technologies revealed that their Link spacecraft, which was launched over a month ago to assist Swift, will no longer pursue the plan to capture and elevate the telescope to a higher orbit due to issues with spacecraft control. Consequently, Swift, known for its two-decade-long observation of significant cosmic events like gamma ray bursts and stellar explosions, is expected to descend through the atmosphere, with its demise anticipated no earlier than October.

In an attempt to extend the telescope’s lifespan by relocating it to a safer orbit, NASA allocated $30 million to Katalyst. However, heightened solar activity led to Swift losing altitude faster than projected.

Following the Link spacecraft’s launch in early July, it encountered difficulties, spinning uncontrollably shortly thereafter. Despite efforts to stabilize its movement, ongoing problems persisted with its orientation and positioning in orbit.

Jared Isaacman, the NASA administrator, expressed disappointment over the outcome but emphasized the mission’s importance. As a silver lining, Katalyst will continue to operate the Link spacecraft in close proximity to Swift to showcase its capabilities for future rescue missions.

The CEO of Katalyst, Ghonhee Lee, acknowledged the ambitious nature of the mission, which was executed within a tight timeframe of under a year. Lee highlighted the significant progress made during the endeavor, stating that valuable lessons have been gleaned.

Originally launched in 2004, Swift had its scientific instruments deactivated earlier this year to slow its descent. It was orbiting at an altitude of 345 kilometers as of the latest update. Katalyst’s initial goal was to elevate the telescope back to its original orbit of 600 kilometers, enabling extended years of astronomical observations.

With the unsuccessful Swift rescue mission, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, also experiencing a decline in orbit due to solar activity, may have missed its chance for a potential orbital adjustment. The fate of the 36-year-old Hubble remains uncertain following the setback.